A cry for the Big Bad Wolf
by Vahti
Summary: The troubles starts when Fabeltown's sheriff needs not only to help the strange mundy kid to find her mother, but also her place between their two worlds; Mundies and Fables.
1. Once there was a little wolf

_"Sheriff Wolf."  
>"Bigby, it's me."<br>"Holly? What's wrong?"  
>"I know it's late and all, but could you come here to the Trip Trap?"<br>"What is it?"  
>"I can't talk about it in the phone now. We have here... Some kind of situation on."<br>__**"Just tell that fucker to come here already."  
><strong>__"Gren, shut up will ya. So will you come here?"  
>"I'm on my way Holly."<em>

Bigby, aka Big Bad Wolf aka Sheriff Wolf, was in the taxi's back seat while recalling the call from earlier, from the troll, Holly.  
>It hadn't been a long call, as Wolf wasn't told any inform what was going on in the Trip Trap. But just a call from there meant that something, that Holly couldn't handle by herself, was going on there.<br>The bartender and owner of the bar Trip Trap was never easy to call him, not over a little thing. It must be something that even Grendel couldn't take care for, as that man was very fond of the troll woman and there for ready to do anything for her.  
>Bigby could smell it from him, even if he would smoke dozens of Huff &amp; Puff cigarettes, unfortunately...<br>So as the Big Bad Wolf stepped out of the car, and went down the stairs to Trip Trap's front door, he was expecting something big. Like a giant going on berserk or... Murder.  
>Hopefully not, they didn't need those after that Crooked Man's mess. One more fable murder would be too much now for Snow White, who was busy with being the new mayor of Fabletown.<p>

But, unlike Bigby had expected, the bar was quiet. The background music played in low tone, like normally. There wasn't any mess either, everything being as... Well, as it usually was around here. Quiet, gloomy and not many customers Gren and Woody being the regular ones.

After getting in and the door shutting behind him, Bigby dropped the smoking cigarette from his mouth, stumping on it and taking a cautious sniff from the air.  
>Nope. No blood. Just Holly and Gren and-<br>"It's about fucking time you got here", Grendel greeted in his typical grumpy way, leaning on the counter while standing there. Holly was behind it, looking thoughtful while staring at the sheriff, her arms crossed. Bigby raised his other brow, smelling someone that he had never smelled before.  
>The scent being like cold streets, cigar and faint sweet. Like vanilla sugar.<br>"What's going on here?" he went straight to the business, not sure should he be suspicious or what. Holly had called him here for some kind of situation, so what was the situation here?  
>"You won't believe what Holly here found. Or what came to her, if you want to put it that way." Grendel said with a humorous smirk. "Say, Mr. Wolf... How has the spring time been to you?"<br>Bigby raised now both of his brows, definitely getting suspicious about this as Grendel was not usually very this talkative. Usually he just sat there and kept his mouth, unless it was something that included Holly or her bar. And Holly absolutely was not one to beat around the bush. She was a bold... _Troll lady._  
>"Yeah... Bigby, look. We don't know what to do in these kind of situations, and definitely in <strong>this<strong> particular one. So I just called for you so you could... You know, take care of it. This. Fuck, of her", the troll was explaining while rubbing her neck, glancing now and then to her backdoor.  
>"Okay..." Sheriff said unsure, casting his eyes to the back room's door too, then spreading his hands. "Just tell me what <em>is going on,<em> will you?"

"I found a kid", Holly exclaimed, then corrected herself: "Or a kid came here."  
>That would explain the new scent. Though smell of cigar and streets wouldn't be expected to go with kid's scent.<br>"First I thought she was a lost mundy girl, you know? Trying to look her parents, although a bar wouldn't be the first place to look for. Unless you got one of those shitty parents who always hang in bars... I was gonna take her out, as there were other fables but then... Well, she chang-"  
>"She's a fucking half-fable", Gren spoiled the end, laughing and smirking like crazy as Holly glared at him, then turned her gaze back to the sheriff.<br>"Yeah, it seems so... Fuck. She just changed while starting to cry, but not wholly. And she doesn't have a glamour so we just think that she's some kind of... Half-breed."  
>Bigby was staring at the two, stunned, before marching to the backdoor as Gren tried to hold his laugh and Holly stopping Bigby from waking the little <em>guest<em> in the backroom.  
>A half-breed?!<p>

* * *

><p>Bigby really wasn't sure what to thing about this whole thing.<br>They rarely had any half-breeds, at least those who they had **heard** or **knew **of... And now one of those was laying on bed at the backroom of Holly's bar.  
>Bigby was watching the kid from the open doorway, amazed and not sure what to do. He wasn't good with these... Things. Kids. Maybe because he was a wolf.<br>People sometimes had these stories about wolf which ate babies...  
>The kid was small one, having short, dark-brown hair that being almost all that he could see from her as the girl was wrapped under a thick blanket.<br>"She has slept for hours now, so you can wake her up", Holly hinted as she and Gren were studying the Big Bad Wolf, who was unsure about such a little thing. It was funny to watch. And they hadn't told him the one, _little_ thing about the girl.  
>Taking his attention from the fables, Bigby looked at the child again, approaching the bed and then thinking what was the best way to wake her up.<br>"Hey kid."  
>...Nothing.<br>"Kid, wake up", Bigby tried, then lightly poked at the bundle.

The girl's red eyes shot open, staring like a big marbles at the strange man standing there.  
>And her suddenly appearing brown-haired wolf ears perked, as the girl tensed up under the blanket. Bigby could clearly hear the kid's racing heartbeats, scared for her life of him, the scent of fear making the man snap out of his shock. And ignore Holly's and Gren's amuse of his reaction to this.<br>He was busy now.  
>"Hey there", he tried to say gently, smiling a little, but heard a small, puppy like growl coming out of her. The girl quickly stand up on the bed, blanket falling off from her and revealing her to be wearing jeans and a black hoody, which hood was half covering her head. She lifted her brown, now fluffy tail, staring up to him.<br>Maybe, if she would have been adult and lot bigger, Bigby would have taken this posture as a clear challenge or threat.  
>But now he was more, just a bit, amused of the girl's silly bravery.<br>This was just a cub, who was intimidated by him even though he wasn't gonna do anything to her...  
>"Listen, kid", Bigby hold his hands up. "I'm not here to hurt you, I'm sheriff Wolf."<br>The girl watched him carefully, clearly thinking what was going on. The feelings were mutual here, kid.  
>Bigby in other hand felt uneasiness under the cub's gaze. Kids always seemed like they could see in your very soul. Just staring like that. Creepy.<br>"Holly called me here", he tried to reason with her, the girl glancing at the smiling woman, then back to the so-called _sheriff_.  
>...Miss Holly was nice, and mister Grendel -or Gren as he preferred- too. So maybe she could trust on this mister Wolf.<br>The kid sat down, her legs crossed and looking up to Bigby, her ears still flat.  
>He seemed it was for best to squat in front of her, so he wouldn't seem so big and dangerous.<br>It didn't help.  
>The kid crossed her arms, staring at him with suspicious, leaning a little bit away from him.<br>"So, what's your name?"  
>"Aleine", she answered shortly, Bigby nodding. Good, she was cooperating with him at least.<br>"Okay. Where's your mom? Or dad? Or who ever watches after you."  
>Aleine seemed to think about this for a minute, looking down from him, then back and answered while shrugging her shoulders.<br>"Don't know."  
>"Where do you live?"<br>"...Can't tell."  
>"Why not?"<br>"Mama says that I can't tell to strangers."  
>"But I'm a sheriff."<br>"..." The kid looked doubtfully.  
>"Hrmm... What's your mother's name?"<br>"Julia."  
>He didn't know any fable by that name. And the kid didn't seem to be whole sincere when telling her mother's name. Nice.<p>

"Your father?"  
>"Don't know."<br>"What do you mean?"  
>"That I don't know", she showed little bit her teeth to him, making him to frown. Great, they got a brat here. With attitude.<br>"Fine. Listen kid, I can't help you to find your mother if you don't tell me things. So it's either me or the police station."  
>That made the kid flinch back, Bigby thinking that he had intimidated her, but then she barked.<br>"Yeah right! You freaks don't want to be revealed to humans, so don't give that grab, _sheriff_."  
>Now it was also Gren's and Holly's turn to be confused. Did the kid just call them <em>freaks<em>?  
>"Freak?" Bigby asked, unsure. The kid kept glaring, snarling: "Yeah. Mama always said that dad was a <em>freak, part of the monster community<em>. And that they don't like to be known by humans."  
>...Okay, so the mother is a mundy here... Maybe... And knew about them. Great.<br>Snowy is gonna _flip_ when she hears about this. If she hears...  
>"What are you then?" Gren asked, a little irritated of the word <em>freak<em>. Hmp, like that kid was something better than them with her puppy ears and a tail. Far from mundy was that he says.  
>The sharp question made the kid shrink, her ears and tail transforming away. Her eyes slowly turning from red to hazel brown. She was hurt by that question alright, Bigby didn't need to smell that from her.<br>"...I don't know. Mama doesn't know."


	2. Who was all alone

**narukyubi: **Thank you and alright, but fortunately not yet going to the Snow scene. Maybe in the next chapter.  
><strong>BBHWolf:<strong> Thank you, I will do my best.

Thank you for your reviews and favs, guys! They really help with the story.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Happened earlier...<strong>

_"What are you then?"_**_  
><em>**_"...I don't know. Mama doesn't know."  
><em>

* * *

><p>After Holly's place, and Bigby asking some more information about this... Situation they had, and also who else knew about the mundy kid, the sheriff had decided to take Aleine to his apartment. It was late after all, everyone needing to shut their eyes for a minute. Him, Holly, Gren, Snow and... Okay, the kid maybe didn't need any as she already had slept in Holly's place, but god dammit, he needed to take a nap for a minute. The Business Office was closed for today after all.<br>The kid, Aleine, had been quite ever since they left from Trip Trap. Just sitting next to him in the taxi, hands laying on her thighs and eyes looking strictly out of the window.  
>She wasn't so calm as she seemed to be, however.<br>She smelled of fear.  
>She was scared, even if she showed that brat-with-a-bad-mouth-attitude back there.<br>The kid would stiffen from even the slightest move and sound he made: Just a cough and the brat's nails would turn into predator like claws. She listened carefully and glanced at him when she though he didn't notice. Even her heartbeat gave her away.  
>Bigby sighed.<br>With this rate the brat **is** going to have a heart attack for god sake.

"Listen, kid-"  
>"Aleine", she corrected and boldly moved her gaze to him. Well, she had the guts to act, he would give her that.<br>"Aleine", the sheriff started again, looking at this snappy girl. Not knowing should he be amused or just annoyed. "I'm not gonna hurt you or anything, okay? As long as you don't cause any trouble, go after somebody and just help me to help you, we don't have a problem. Got it?"  
>She was looking at him with one of those hard looks, looking like she was about to blow a fuse or snap her teeth to him like in the bar.<br>But then she lowered her gaze, back to watch out of the window.  
>"Yeah... I got it."<br>Bigby tiredly rubbed his face with one hand, leaning on his side's window and looking out too.  
>...See? This is why he wasn't good with kids, no matter what he did, they always got scared of the<strong> big bad wolf<strong>. He just-  
>"So, you are <strong>the <strong>big bad wolf?"  
>He glanced back to Aleine. She was looking up to him with curiosity. Still wary of him, but at least there was something else in her eyes.<br>"Are you?"  
>"Yeah, I'm the big bad wolf. How did you know?" he started with a small smirk. Was he that obvious?<br>She was smirking back.  
>"I just... Knew. The smell. It was like... Like something I have smelled before, but-" She seemed to think this really hard. "I just knew it. That you are like-" She frowned a little, like not sure about the next word she was going to say. "I just knew, damn it!" she finally exclaimed with a small laugh. Bigby smiled shortly, glad that the kid was relaxing, even if a little.<br>So she had that sharp nose, like him. But it was not sure how good she could smell things, or was it just when turned to her- Could it be called her _real self_, like it was with them fables? Or was it _other self_? Hrmmm, he was too tired to think it about now.

"So, the stories are true?" Aleine continued, now more facing him. "The woodsman, three little pigs and red riding hood, and the sheep and-"  
>"Yeah, all of them true", Bigby smirked, thinking how she's gonna react to, that one of <em>those three little pigs<em> was in his home. And not in the fridge or oven.  
>"So... Are they alive, here? In this town? Are you friends, or do you still eat them? Is there also three little blind mice, the boy who cried for the wolf and Snow White and Princess Aurora and-"<br>It wasn't so awkward and quiet ride after all. Even if Aleine first seemed like a real brat with bad attitude, she was still just a kid. Curious and smart. The only thing that had been clear from the beginning, was that she was brave. Even Toad Jr. was still sometimes afraid of Bigby, and they had known each other longer.  
>Of course Aleine still would be afraid and cautious of the sheriff, but she didn't show it, looking to his eyes while listening as he explained about him and the fables community.<br>How they had become to this world, started their new lives, which "characters" still were alive, their government and all other basic things about them.  
>And the kid listened with full attention, asking now and then about things and then let him continue.<br>It was... Nice. Comfy.  
>Not sure was Aleine taking this all to heart or did she think this was just some kind of dream or fairy tale, but at least she was far more relaxed in the end of the ride.<p>

"Bigby, you haven't still told me how are the three little pigs", Aleine whined with a smile when they got out of the taxi. "Are they gone or do you still chase after them?"  
>"Like I said, I don't do that anymore. Chasing and eating people", wolfman said as he light the cigar on his lips, taking a long breath of it. He hadn't talked this much in a long time. And he still didn't know anything about this cub.<br>"Right. The bug bad wolf has become the big bad sheriff", she said like not buying that one.  
>"No, I'm not bad. Or I'm trying not to be."<br>The cub looked at him thoughtfully.  
>"...Is there other wolves. Like you?"<br>"Like me?"  
>"Yeah. Wolves from Homelands."<br>"I think so. I wasn't the only wolf around there when I last check. Not sure how many of them got to this side though."  
>Aleine seemed to think this deeply.<br>"Why do you ask?"  
>"For nothing", she said, but seemed still troubled. But Bigby didn't get the opportunity to ask as the kid stared now the gates and through them at the Woodlands.<br>"Is this the Woodlands?" she asked amazed, looking up to the top of the building. "It's huge!"  
>Taking another breath through his smoke Bigby walked after the running brat, opening the gate to her and letting her go in first. The kid was like a monkey out of the box, looking around her and running here and there. The wolfman just smoked his cigarette, keeping an eye on her, watching with a little confuse. Was this the same kid who he met in the Trip Trap?<br>So much for the little bad wolf-attitude...  
>"Does <strong>everybody<strong> live in here?" Aleine finally asked, stopping to stand on top the stone that Snow had ordered there.  
><em>Stay off the grass!<br>_...Snow didn't need to know.  
>"No. Some of us live in other parts of the city, some in other countries."<br>"...I always suspected our neighbor to be a dwarf. Like in the stories."  
>"Oh?"<br>"Yeah. He was **really** short and had this long beard, almost to ground. And I swear, he wear a pointy hat!"  
>Bigby's laugh for this, and how the kid throw her hands up after her statement, were interrupted as somebody walked through the gate. Aleine got off the grass, almost taking cover behind him, going all alarmed her ears turning.<br>It was just a Flycatcher, noticing the sheriff who after all stand in the middle of the foothpath.  
>"Sheriff Bigby! Ni- Nice evening."<br>"Flycatcher", the wolfman greeted back, taking smoke.  
>"Yes. Mmm", the janitor noticed the girl who was hiding behind Bigby, but her glare made the awkward man to keep it to himself. "Well, good evening. O- Or, night, sheriff Bigby."<br>Aleine looked, her wolf ears twitching, as the man with a frog cap walked past them. Then Bigby turned to stare at the brat.  
>"...What?"<br>"Why do you always need to glare everybody? Flycatcher is harmless", Bigby asked while holding his cigar. The brat just shrugged.  
>"I don't know."<br>As everybody else that he asked from her.  
>Dropping and stomping his cigar to the ground, Bigby gestured the kid go inside of the building.<p>

In the lobby, where Grimble the troll was in a deep sleep, Aleine looked around again in amaze. This place was really nice, like a castle. And that there were fairy tales' characters, or _fables_, in this place made it just more exciting!  
>The kid looked at the sleeping security, then Bigby who ordered elevator for them.<br>"Does he always sleep?"  
>"Mostly."<br>"...Than why he's security? Shouldn't there be like, Cerberus or some dog guardian the place?"  
>The sheriff lifted his other brow. Was she making some wolf-dog-joke here?<br>...No, she didn't seem like it.  
>"Trust me. You don't wanna woke Grimble", he only answered, but it seemed to be enough to her.<p>

* * *

><p>When Bigby opened the door to his apartment, Aleine was again very cautious, glancing inside the apartment and back to Bigby, as they stood there in the doorway. He waited that she would get in, but she just stood there staring up to him.<br>"...You going in?"  
>"After you", she said.<br>"There isn't anything dangerous in there. You can go inside."  
>"Okay."<br>...She still didn't move, and sighing the big bad wolf got in, watching that the kid followed him inside the apartment. And closed the door. Then she again stood there, looking at him. What was it? Did she broke or something?  
>"You can get your shoes off and... Just be. We will deal with this yours situation tomorrow", the tired sheriff grumbled, leaving the kid there as he started to walk to the kitchen area. Colin came to greet them though, stopping Bigby.<br>"It's about time you got here. I have waited that you would..." the talking pig stared at the kid, who stared back her eyes wide open of surprise. Colin glanced to the smirking sheriff, saying very, very wary: "I know you like them sweet and all, but Bigby, **this** is too much even-"  
>"God Colin! It's just a kid!" Bigby exclaimed before the pig would go too far. Did he really though of Bigby like <strong>that<strong>!?  
>"It's a talking pig", Aleine whispered as she stared at the pig. "Talking pig."<br>"Name's Colin, kid. And it's rude to stare", Colin remarked irritatedly.  
>The girl watched now, very widely smirking, sheriff.<br>"The three little pigs are living in **you** apartment?!"  
>"Just Colin." he chuckled, before going to get his drink of whiskey. These two would have some time to get over each other, so that he could have a moment for himself.<p>

It, or he, was a talking pig!  
>Aleine couldn't believe, still staring at the pig. Amused smile spread to her face, the pig watching her like someone who doesn't like to get all this attention.<br>"So... What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be-"  
>"At the Farm?" he questioned, the kid shaking her head.<br>"Shouldn't you be somewhere else than here? Or is Bigby keeping you as a hostage, for Christmas?"  
>The girl wasn't meaning anything bad or making a joke, just really innocently asking this from him. Maybe that's why they heard Bigby's laugh from the other end of the apartment.<br>"No, he's not keeping here against my will. More like other way around", Colin answered while rolling his eyes and heading to get some whiskey from bad wolf. The girl was following him, after taking her shoes off.  
>"So why are you here then? And where are your brothers?"<br>"Because Bigby owns to me", Colin answered tiredly back, not saying anything about his brothers. This kid was already feeling like a bug buzzing around your head and not going away.  
>"Do you just look like a pig, or do you have this- Glam- Glamer-"<br>"Glamour. No I don't, I'm just a pig without humanoid form."  
>"Why?"<br>The pig stopped, giving to the kid meaningful look.  
>"...Sorry", she muttered as looking away from his gaze, but still followed as he walked to the armchair where Bigby was drinking.<p>

"So why is this kid-"  
>"Aleine."<br>"-Kid, here?" the pig asked from the sheriff, and at the same time eyeing the drink Bigby had.  
>Well, where to start?<br>"I'm helping her to find her mother." he simple said. But that wasn't enough.  
>"And you are helping a mundy kid because...?"<br>Bigby looked at Aleine, to know that did she want to tell or not. But she seemed kinda be also a little bit out of what was this... Situation.  
>"She's not a mundy. Entirely."<br>"What do you mean? She's half fable or something?" the pig asked half jokingly, then went silence when seeing Bigby's serious look. Now it was **his** turn to stare at the kid.  
>Who was yet again glaring, looking at the talking pig, like ready to fight.<br>"...What?!" Colin looked back to Bigby, who sighed. He didn't know either what exactly was this!  
>"You're saying this kid is a half fable? Now how does that even work?"<br>"I am **not** a freak!"  
>The shout from Aleine made the whole apartment go silent, Bigby and Colin looking at the half-breed.<br>The girl was staring both of them furiously, eyes turning to deep red and nails sharpening and turning to dark. Wolf tail popping up and ears turning.  
>"I. Am. Not a freak", she growled while showing her canine teeth, every hair on her standing up. "I am not like you, I'm a human being. So don't call me a freak!"<br>"Nobody is saying anything that you are a freak Aleine", Bigby tried to calm the girl down, rising from his chair. Colin was not sure should he say anything, for once, or duck to cover. When you knew how Bigby could be when he got angry, you didn't want even to experience it with Bigby Jr.

"I am not a fable", the wolfgirl kept denying with growling, hands going to fists. That gesture, her feeling her sharp claws, making the girl flinch and opening fists immediately. Ears flat and staring at Bigby, who smelled from her something, that he was familiar with.  
>Even though he didn't show it t anyone.<br>"I'm not a freak", she said silently, swallowing hard.  
>"I know you ain't Aleine", the wolfman said, kneeling in front of the kid. Hazel eyes following him, the kid being like a scared and hurt animal, in the edge of fleeing or freezing to its place. And Bigby didn't need a running half-fable now...<br>"You know-" Bigby glanced at Colin, who stood there for a minute before going to somewhere else in the apartment. But it was a small apartment so listening little pig was hard to make un-hearing...  
>"I have those same feels too, Aleine", Bigby started, the girl blinking her red colored eyes, face blank as if showing any emotion would be bad thing.<br>"...You do?"  
>"Yeah. I'm the big <strong>bad<strong> wolf, you know? Everybody here is afraid of me, angry to me or something else not so positive. And no matter what I do, I always feel like an outcast. Among of my own kind."  
>This seemed to make her calm down a little, thinking about what the big bad wolf had told to her now.<br>"You don't seem so bad, as in the stories, Bigby", she muttered with a faint smile, he returning it and then lifting his other hand, placing it gently between Aleine's wolf ears in a petting manner.  
>"Well, I'm very glad that even one is thinking like that. Thanks Aleine."<p>

* * *

><p>After showing to Aleine where she could sleep, and her going to bed, Bigby drunk the rest of his first whiskey drink, going back to the kitchen. Opening the freezer and noticing that he was out of ice. Again.<br>"Nice..." he sighed while throwing it back, just getting his whiskey like that as he sat on his armchair.  
>Colin walked back, looking at the sheriff with a sly smile.<br>"You know Bigby, **I** don't think you are that bad either... If you give me that drink."  
>"Colin, shut up", the man grumbled. "It has been a long day to me, dealing with punch of paper works and now this."<br>"Yeah, she really has a temper. Like someone I know..."  
>"..." Colin cleared his throat under Bigby's heavy gaze.<br>"So, what is she really? We don't have many half-fables, not those we have seen or heard of."  
>"Look, I don't know it either. And I doubt she doesn't too. Her mother seems to be a mundy, and the father hasn't been in the picture for a long time. At least that's what I figured out of the kid's tale."<br>Although she really didn't tell much about her.

"Yeah... It really seems to bother her. The half-breed thing I mean. She surely flipped out from that", the pig analyzed, watching closely as the whiskey glass was getting emptier and emptier...  
>"So I'm saying that you shouldn't hint anything to that, when she's around."<br>"Well, it would might help, if I could have something to drink", the pig hinted, glancing from the drink to Bigby. And knowing better, the sheriff gave it to the pig.  
>So he too could have a nap.<p> 


	3. And was found by the Big Bad Wolf

**narukyubi:** Nice to hear you like it ^^  
><strong>MalteseKen:<strong> Thank you, I'm glad to hear that's how you see this story. I try to keep the story somewhat humorous but also sweet... Hopefully the story is like that.  
><strong>WolfKomoki:<strong> Yes sir!

So sorry with the waiting! I had troubles with this chapter, that in the end my brains were just a pile of mush.

Thank you for your reviews and favs, guys! They really help with the story.

Enjoy!

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><p>Bigby woke up from his armchair with a fright, almost springing up to his feet with a growl.<br>Sharp teeth bared and eyes turning to deep gold, hair growing and all instincts going wild as he listened the sounds and smelled the scents in his apartment. Scanning for someone. Intruder...  
>But not noticing anyone else than Colin who was snoring in front of the armchair, not waking up.<br>Bigby continued to listen.  
>...No. Everything was okay.<br>No one else was in the apartment, coming after his head.  
>The wolfman sighed, rubbing his face with both hands and calming down, turning back to his whole human form.<br>It has been just a dream, a bad one, as that freaking red-headed psycho had yet again sneaked in to his apartment in his dream. It might have been three years already, but that didn't mean that the big bad wolf would easily forget that night, when he almost kicked the bucket. No. This probably wouldn't ever go away, he just had to deal with it.  
>As Bigby relaxed in his easy chair, he noticed something else. It was <strong>just<strong> him and Colin in his apartment.

"Aleine?" he called for her. He didn't smell her, not like that she was still in here, her scent being weak in the air. Has she gone somewhere? Where? Why?  
>As there was no respond, grumbling the sheriff rose up from his chair, now waking up Colin with his voice.<br>"Hey kid, are you still in there?"  
>Knocking on his closed bedroom's door Bigby waited for a minute, hoping that he just had a cold nose. But he knew it was just a hopeful thinking: He had the sharpest nose in Fabletown. So as there wasn't any answer Bigby opened the door and started to search through the bedroom. The kid was not under the covers, nor under the bed or inside of closet.<br>"Aaaw shit", wolfman started to curse, going on a little bit faster and searched the rest of his apartment. Just hoping that the kid hadn't fucking fled of.  
>Colin was just standing and looking at there how big bad wolf looked around, as the pig couldn't really help. He also didn't know where the girl was.<br>"She just run off?!" Bigby snarled and headed to apartment's front door.  
>When he would just get his hands on her he would-<br>An arrogant sounding knock, and some mumbled curses and heated words behind the door, made the sheriff stop on his tracks.  
><em>"You little brat! Stop that."<br>"Let me go!"  
>"Just wait till I'll give you to the sheriff. He will-"<em>  
>Hearing <strong>who<strong> were there, Bigby immediately opened the door. Seeing always so stuck up Bluebeard standing there, glaring down at Aleine who was growling and trying to release herself from his tight hold on her neck.  
>Seeing Bigby a cocky smirk spread across Blueabeard's face.<br>"Ah, Mr. Sheriff. I think I have something of yours her-"  
>Aleine hit the bald man's ribs with her elbow, making Bluebeard to flinch and automatically lift his free hand in attempt to slap her. Bigby's reaction was to stop it though. He took a grip from the raised hand and pulled the kid away from the aristocrat.<br>Aleine took cover from behind Bigby, holding a paper bag and glaring at the snooty psycho man at the door. Bigby didn't tell there was crazy fables around here!

"Okay, Bluebeard... What is going on?" the sheriff demanded while letting go of the man, crossing his arms and glaring at the baldy. He may be a big bad wolf, but even **he** knew that hitting a kid was not a good thing to do.  
>Tiding up himself a little, the one of the richest fables explained: "Nothing more than just of Fabletown's residents' safety, Mr. Sheriff. I saw this little runt-"<br>"I'm not a runt!" Aleine barked, glancing angrily at the wolfman who gestured her to be silent.  
>And after giving a pompous glare to the girl, Bluebeard continued: "I saw this <em>girl<em> in our yard, trying to break in-"  
>"I didn't break in", Aleine snapped yet again, peeking around Bigby. "You let me in here", she ended, with a wide smirk.<br>And Bluebeard was having enough of this.  
>"I don't care who that arrogant child is, or better yet <strong>whose<strong>, but I'm trusting in you Mr. Wolf, that you'll keep your cub in line. For all our sake."  
>And having the last word the aristocrat walked away, his head high and trying to keep his cool. Mr. Wolf was already a trouble to keep in the line. One more like him would just give more troubles.<br>Bluebear's authorized attitude didn't work on Aleine at least, as she peeked her head with Bigby out of the doorway, watching the baldy's going.  
>"...Egghead", she muttered, wolfman pulling the kid in and closing the door behind them. It was just nine in the morning and the kid had already gone in trouble. And had a small scar across her left cheek Bigby seeing that and smelling the blood. The wound was fresh.<br>But Aleine still had sneaked off from the apartment without his permission.  
>"What were you doing out there? You shouldn't go out all by yourself, and pissing off Bluebeard wasn't the smartest idea."<br>"Well, first of", she started, lifting an eyebrow to him, "You never said I couldn't leave the apartment. I just wanted to get some food. And two, that ball head started to accuse me just like that. Like I was some fucking stray cat sniffing around his precious food bowl. Is he always that stuck up, or did just somebody screw an iron stick up to his ass?"

Bigby really didn't have the energy for this. He will never want any kids... Or not now at least.  
>"Fine, I'm saying it now: You will not leave this apartment alone. And there is food in the fridge already", wolfman said as he took the paper bag from Aleine, investigating what she got. White bread, egg, bacon, milk and... One carrot?<br>Guess kids had to eat healthy food also.  
>"Mmmm no, there isn't. I don't drink whiskey and ketchup ain't so filling. And those sausages in that bag will soon rise up and crawl out of there", she answered as she followed him to the kitchen area, Bigby checking up his fridge.<br>...Fine. She was right. This one time. She still get into trouble.  
>"And where did you get this food anyway?"<br>"I didn't steal it", kid said like she was accused, again, of something she didn't do. Although, Bigby did smell that she didn't tell the truth.  
>"Aleine. If you stole this I hav-"<br>"I didn't steal it!" she exclaimed. "I just borrowed it."  
>...Bigby sighed.<br>...No, he wasn't going to do this now. He would just make the damn breakfast. But first...  
>"And the scar?" he asked while facing her. The kid shrugged, opening her mouth to say-<br>"And tell the truth, or you ain't gonna get food."  
>"But <strong>I <strong>got the food here!"  
>"And this is my apartment."<br>"Fuck... Fine, the mister skin head got a little hotheaded when I out smarted him."  
>"He hit you?"<br>"Nope, slapped. And he hits like a girl. And **I am** a girl."  
>It still didn't mean that Bluebeard could do what ever he wanted. Bigby didn't let Aleine much to protest as he started to check the wound. Very minor one, probably left by one of baldy's finger rings.<br>"I'm fine. And I can do the food", Aleine tried to get between there as the big bad wolf started to prepare the breakfast. He just gestured her out of the kitchen. **His**kitchen**. **"Sure you can, now shoo."  
>"Damn it."<br>"And don't swear okay? You are a kid. And don't take that carrot when the food is coming!"  
>"This is for Colin!" she barked back and left to the living room with the carrot. Cheez! Who woke the big bad wolf from his slumber so badly?<p>

"Getting in trouble right in the morning?" the pig teased while he laid on the armchair in a cozy position. Unfortunately he couldn't come to the door when Blue there was getting Aleine's attitude, but he really wasn't allowed to be out of the Farm so...  
>He looked at the carrot, that the kid offered.<br>"...Just a carrot? What am I, a family pet?"  
>"There's also bacon?" Aleine smirked, offering the carrot again.<br>"You are just like Bigby: Both of you are meat-eating monsters."  
>"And I thought pigs were om- Ome- <strong>Om<strong>nivores?" Aleine finally said after a while struggling with the hard word...  
>"Yeah, but we still aren't cannibals", Colin protested while munching the damn carrot.<p>

* * *

><p>After the breakfast it was time to get this kid's situation checked up...<p>

Aleine looked at all the fables who were lining up to the Business Office, where she and Bigby were heading too.  
>All the fables, they had to be fables because she really didn't think they would let any mundies in their headquarters, looked like ordinary humans... Just normal people.<br>She actually had waited to see more fables in their real forms, Colin being the only fable she had seen this far. And it wasn't even sure could Colin be counted in, as he was **just** a talking pig after all. Not like a troll, a fairy, a unicorn or- Or the giant wolf that Bigby here was suppose to be. She wanted to see real fables with her own eyes, Bigby's too.

All of the waiting fables started to stare at them, when they showed up, she walking behind the sheriff and Bigby boldly just starting to walk past them to the door.  
>Then Aleine noticed Gren there, the man looking irritated but as soon as he noticed her too, they bot gave each other a minor smile. The girl walking straight to the half-blinded man, Bigby not noticing in time and not to be able to call her back.<br>"Gren", she greeted, lifting her hand for a high-five. The man responded to it, noticing the small scar and swollen mark on Aleine's left cheek.  
>The fable glared at the big bad wolf.<br>"That fucker hit you?" he snarled, Bigby surprised.  
>"No-"<br>"He didn't", Aleine answered quickly, getting nervous of all the negative attention that Bigby was getting so suddenly now. He was **the sheriff**, people shouldn't be angry to that kind of status holder, right? But there had been already this atmosphere when they got here, sure, but now...  
><em>"-Everybody here is afraid of me, angry to me or something else not so positive."<em>  
>So, this was what Bigby was talking about? That everybody assumed the worst of him? It really wasn't fair.<br>"It was some egghead guy. Tall, stuck up", Aleine started to picture out the stupid aristocrat.  
>"Bluebeard?" Grendel asked, already knowing it has to be like that. All these fucking rich folks sticking their nose up to them "lowlifes", treating how ever shitty they wanted...<br>"And you let that happen, lapdog?" black-haired fable continued to Bigby, who was not here to pick up a fight. But no to be accused just because it pleased them... Aleine's situation didn't even belong to Grendel anymore, he and Holly had handed the girl to the sheriff right away.  
>That nickname, <em>lapdog<em>, sure still made him feel the sting.  
>"Like it's yours to know Gren", Bigby answered, telling Aleine to come. But the fable was not going to let this slip out, not this one.<br>Yeah, the wolfy here could fight with him when ever he felt like it, but abusing a kid or even letting that happening was a whole different thing!  
>Other fables too were thinking the same thing, even if not saying it out loud because of their fear towards the Big Bad Wolf.<br>"It is, if this kid is in more harms way with you, _mister sheriff_", Gren answered, placing himself between Bigby and Aleine.  
>Aleine was getting really confused and nervous of this whole thing, she being in the middle even though she didn't remember anymore how did it go like this. Bigby wasn't no-one to blame. She didn't give anything to think it had been Bigby's fault, so...<br>So... Why this?  
>She was feeling all the negative feelings that was just growing bigger and bigger in this small hallway, because of all of them. Gren and Bigby glaring each other intensely.<br>She didn't like it at all, she didn't like it when people fought or yelled. She didn't like it.  
>The tension just kept rising, the girl not sure whose side she had to take or did it matter at all if she would. But if she had to take a side she would take Bigby's.<br>Or Gren's...

...The Office's door opened, everybody else but Bigby and Grendel looking at the person who walked from there. Aleine looked closely at the woman, who started to walk towards Bigby and Gren, the men still staring each other like dogs showing their teeth and ready to get on to each other's throats...  
>She was pretty woman. With dark, black-hair like a raven's feathers and skin as pure as fresh snow.<br>But she had really scary expression on her face. It wasn't like the woman was biting her teeth together and whole body showing aggression, no. It was the small, almost unseen changes that showed her irritation.  
>And the energy she had, making everybody to give her the room to reach the two fable man...<br>Putting her hands on her hips, glaring at Gren and Bigby, until them looked at her with a bit uncertainty...  
>"Well, gentlemen, if you are done with your disagreements, I would like to take Bigby-"<br>Aleine instinctly lowered her wolfears when the pretty but scary lady looked at her, even though the lady's expression seemed to soft a little bit.  
>"And the girl to the office, please."<br>"...Fine by me", Gren spat while going back to line, the black-haired woman starting to walk back to the office door.  
>Aleine followed cloesly at Bigby, muttering: "She's a scary alpha..."<br>The sheriff chuckled silently, whispering back to the girl: "Yes, she can be that... And she's by the way **Snow White**, our mayor."


	4. The little wolf couldn't find her mother

**narukyubi: **Thank you, Bigby surely needs a little hug and support from someone who doesn't fear him every second.  
><strong>WolfKomoki:<strong> Oh, he will get it, I promise : )

* * *

><p>Business Office was silent, only the Flying Dutchman creaking now and then as it flied around the office. Bufkin was somewhere, surely getting himself drunk secretly, so it was only the three of them.<br>"...It was just like usual", Aleine finally started to tell them, Bigby and Snow White, about what had happened. Snow White behind her office table and Bigby standing next to her.  
>"I was at home and mother came, saying that she would be out for a couple of days because of work."<br>"What does your mother do, exactly", Bigby saw it important to get this fact out, before the pup would continue with her story.  
>Aleine looked up to him, slightly glancing at Snow, shying away from her.<p>

Fabeltown's Business Office wasn't exactly as small as normal offices usually were. Or anything like them. The office was more like a castle hall or a warehouse, full of all kind of relics from Homelands. The sheriff had saw the look the kid gave when seeing the place after stepping through the door. Aleine's mouth had been so open, that a herd of flies could have flied in there easily, heh!  
>But then she was giving her glare to smirking Bigby. Still trying to look scary to the <strong>Big Bad Wolf<strong>, eh pup?  
>Then... The kid had withdrawn when being seated in front of the mayor's desk. Which behind Snow White was sitting now, trying to look calm and friendly to Aleine who looked uncomfortable in the wooden chair: hands on her lap and legs slightly waving in the air, gaze never settling on anything. Like a pup being scolded at, Bigby thought, slightly amused.<br>Bigby was sure this behavior was because of the new environment and- Well, just like **Aleine** had said, Snow White can be scary. It's not like he thought Snow was scary or anything, or he meant that she could be and she was capable woman but- Yeah, Snow could be scary, even if she didn't try. Which was kinda funny because when compared by anybody, everybody would be more scared of Big Bad Wolf than Snow White. But she had her ways to make everything get under her control, just like a moment ago in the hallway.  
>But, back to the kid and the biggest question: What, when and why?<p>

"...Mother works in cafe, _Egg Man diner_, but sometimes she gets other works too. I don't know what they are", Aleine finally relieved, mostly looking at Bigby when answering. Snow nodded with a smile despised this: "Thank you Aleine. Now, what happened then, when your mother said she will be away?"  
>The kid moved nervously, ears hanging, as Snow tried to have her attention to her.<br>"Well, she gave me money, for couple of days. Then she left, with a luggage", Aleine continued, then stopped.  
>...The two fable kept staring at the girl who seemed to shrink in the chair under their gazes.<br>"_What?!_" she barked finally, both fables flinching with surprise.  
>"I- But- Sorry Aleine, is that all? Nothing else?"<br>"She didn't call, leave a letter? Nobody came to your apartment?" Bigby confirmed.  
>"No, she left and that's it", the kid was answering like somebody had stepped painfully on her tail. "Mother left. And I waited for her couple of weeks, but she didn't come back. Then I went looking for her!"<br>"Aleine, please, calm down", Snow started and rose up, holding her hand up in a calm gesture.  
>"Then I smelled... Like... Something like <em>you<em>, fable, I think. It wasn't like human. And mother had told me about you freaks and I thought that maybe you took her so I followed the smell. Because... I just didn't know where to go. Mother said never trouble police with our problems and- She hadn't come back. Something_ is wrong_. But nobody knew anything about her in that bar. And she- Never- I- I _just_ want mom back!"

Aleine was exhausted, mentally, trying to use her energy to keep herself at the same calm and cautious with all these new people -or freaks like mother would say- and new places. She just wanted to go back to home with mom.  
>It had been already two weeks since she saw her mother last time and after that... Nothing. Mother hadn't called or send any letter, anything at all to tell that she couldn't come home yet. To tell why, or when she would come back. The money she had left had also run out. And Aleine had stayed at dark home, as she didn't know how to change bulb, waiting for mother's return. Aleine rarely got out, as mother could come back anytime when Aleine was out, and the girl wanted to be at home when mother came back.<br>So she could hug mother and welcome her back home with a big, happy smile. So mother would know that Aleine appreciated everything that mother did for them and that she loved mother very much. Then Aleine would make something good for mom, like boiled potatoes and chicken from oven. She had bought those small corns in can that mother liked to eat.  
>But it had been now two weeks... Two weeks without any sign.<br>And Aleine was scared that maybe... Something... Had happened to mother. That if she was- Just though about it made a lump rise in her throat, the stomach feeling like it was going crawl up. Hot tears stinging in eyes.  
>"I <em>don't<em> _want_ mother to die..." was the small voice of the scared child, as she covered her face with her hands and swallowed down, trying hard not to cry. But she couldn't help the tears as her head felt like a bees' nest, thoughts swirling around and around not coming up with anything useful to find mom.

Somebody placed a hand on top her head, Aleine not caring who, while she covered her watering eyes behind her hands.  
>"I'm sure everything is okay", Snow's voice said next to her, Aleine carefully peeking behind from her hands. "I know this must be very hard for you, but I think you are very brave girl. Taking care of yourself and waiting patiently for you mother, and then starting to look for her... Not many adult could do that", Snow continued, keeping a smile on her face, offering a tissue to the girl.<br>Looking at it Aleine cautiously took the tissue and started to dry her face silently, having a hiccup from the crying.  
>She didn't mind of Snow still patting her head gently between wolf ears.<br>Bigby in other hand thought about this case in front of him deeply.  
>So, they had one half fable whose mother had been missing for two weeks already. And Aleine didn't know where her mother had gone. To mundies police forces this would mean at least one thing...<br>Well, Bufkin could call to town's... Morgue, if it really was the case that...  
>Bigby glanced awkwardly at Aleine, that Snow was still calming down.<br>And he could go the Eggman's diner, if they knew anything about Aleine's mother's-  
>"Aleine, what is your mother's name?" The kid hadn't told it at all in this time.<br>Aleine swallowed before answering.  
>"Na- Narifia Rafor."<br>Well, this would be interesting to turn that into a rhyme for Magic Mirror...

* * *

><p>"Magic mirror?" Aleine said skeptically and looked at the giant mirror in front of her and Bigby, as Snow White had had to answer to office phone, still speaking with someone.<br>"Yep. The magic mirror that shows anything you want... Well, almost", Bigby explained while putting a cigarette between his lips and lighting it up.  
>The cub tilted her head to one side, staring at the mirror uncertainly. Somehow the pup's ever changing attitude, from astonished to suspicious one, where fun to Bigby to observe. Aleine seemed to be very much like a kid who wanted to believe in fairy tails, magic, flying unicorns who pooped rainbows and all those impossible things.<br>But at the same time there was something that made her cautious of those things. Like she didn't want her hopes up in that case that she would be disappointed. That was very unchild like for some young like her. Bigby didn't know anything about kids, really, but he at least suspected that at Aleine's age the kid should be still at least hopeful for magic things. Still believing in Santa Claus and thinking that wishing for shooting star would grand her wish.  
>Well, maybe it was better that way. Without her skeptical, adult-like-attitude things may had turn out differently. Like, she maybe never had come with Bigby or left her home in the first place. But in that case the police and the child welfare had stepped in... The sheriff slightly frowned while looking at the kid.<br>...No, that wouldn't had been good thing. The kid was a half fable after all, one of them. And fables looked after each other. Because the outside world would never-  
>Oh shit.<br>Bigby raised his brows as a thought popped into his mind as Aleine carefully touched at Mirror's frames, like she was searching for button to put Mirror on.  
><em>Had there been any accidents in mundy world, with Aleine's fable side? And if had, how many knew about this kid?<em>


	5. So Big Bad Wolf decided to help her

**Stargiving2413: **We will see what's the deal with her mother, or even with the father? It's all for Sheriff Bigby to discover, danda-daa! And thank you, I'll promise to try harder with the writing. : )  
><strong>narukyubi: <strong>Good idea, but I think we both know what is the real deal with the mirror? ; D But nevertheless I think Aleine would like to try it out. ^^

* * *

><p>"Hey, Aleine..." Bigby called. The kid turned away from touching the mirror, looking like she had done something you shouldn't do with old relics. That look made the sheriff chuckle before concerned thoughts came back.<br>"Listen... Does anybody else know about-", hopefully she won't bring that angry speech again; "Your fable side? And no, I'm not calling you freak, I just have to know have you shown to anybody your ears or eyes or something?"  
>For a moment, Bigby was worried that the kid would start to rage or something. But when she just stared at him with blank expression, he was starting to hope that his serious tone had got her.<br>"...Could this one tell me who my father is?" Aleine asked and turned towards the mirror. Tilting her head to one side.  
>"Like mirror mirror, tell me who's the father of me?"<br>What- She completely brushed that off?! Fables' secret wasn't a thing to take lightly, but Bigby didn't get the opportunity to snarl about it to the pup. The mirror woke up, forming it's face from green mist in the mirror.  
>"<em>I'll show things as they will show, but rules best to be known by thou<em>", Mirror spoke with's its low voice.  
>Bigby almost jumped too when the kid suddenly clutched on him as the mirror came to alive. Small hands hugged him tightly, and the kid let out surprised noise. Staring widely at the mirror and leaning against him.<br>...We- Well, this wasn't what he waited from her but- Really?! Bigby couldn't do anything else than just stand there. All tensed up and hands high up, looking at the child like some wild animal had just grabbed on him viciously.

The look on Bigby's face was screaming _help me, take it off from me_ as Snow White came to them and was also shocked of the girl hugging on the Sheriff.  
>Then a smile rise to her face, the woman taking a casual standing there.<br>"What is it Aleine?"  
>"That... Mirror speaks. Like <em>really <em>speaks!"  
>"Yes, well, <strong>he is<strong> _Magic Mirror."  
>"And a <strong>person<strong> I sure thou, as thou are you."_  
>"Krhm, so there's nothing to worry about. Mirror doesn't bite you. Or anything", Bigby tried to calm the girl, who <em>still<em> hold on to him, and patted her little head lightly. But she seemed not to be ready to let go of him, damn it... And Snow White wasn't clearly going to help him out of this. _Nor_ the mirror, were they all in this to get him for something!? He **wasn't** a hug toy...  
>Well, fine. She can be there. Letting his hands down Big Bad Wolf huffed. And got back to the thing <em>they were<em> here to do.  
>"So, mirror mirror don't... Leave us in gutter, but reveal Narifia the mother?"<br>Hey he **tried**. So don't look me like that kid, _you_ didn't do anything.

Magic mirror stirred, doing something as the green mist started to whirl. Aleine let go of Bigby to face the reflection, that would appear in the mirror.  
>...The kid looked back to Bigby after a moment.<br>"Did you do it right?"  
>"The mirror works when you use the name of the person and rhyme it", Sheriff defended himself. This wasn't his fault that Magic mirror showed just blurry and very unfocused reflection that nobody could say what it was.<br>"Magic Mirror?" Snow White asked and the mirror's face appeared back.  
>"<em>The rhyme wrong just a mite, the name not all right<em>", he explained as best as he could without broken the rhyme.  
>"What does <em>that<em> mean?" Aleine asked from everyone.  
>"Well, it doesn't mean that Narifia would be dead", Bigby said first, no need to panic. "There's something wrong with your mother's name."<br>"Like _what_?"  
>"We don't know. There might just be something, that blocks Mirror not to see her, Aleine", Snow White tried to explain. The name couldn't be wrong, it was Aleine's mother's name after all. "So don't worry. We just have to find her on our own", she tried to calm the girl down, which seemed to work.<br>"Okay... So what next?"  
>"I though about going to Narifia's working place, The Eggman. You wanna come too, pup?"<br>"Of course", Aleine barked with a frown. If Bigby was going find her mother, she wanted to be there too. Naturally.

"Good, now... Bufkin!"  
>Somewhere was a rumble, like tons of books just rained on to floor, and then flap of feather wings. The green flying monkey was the third thing in here that made the kid open her mouth in amaze. At least she didn't jump back to clutch on Bigby when Bufkin landed near them.<br>"Hello ms. White and mr. Bigby and... Oh", the monkey looked with surprise at their guest. At first sight she looked like a mundy, but then there was to tails, ears and red eyes. The two gaped on each other for a second, then-  
>"Hello miss! My name is Bufkin."<br>"Hey... Bufkin. I'm Aleine", the girl chirped and kneel in front of the winged monkey, looking all over him. "So, what story are you from?"  
>"Well, ms. Aleine. I'm from-"<br>"Bufkin, I'm sorry, but we're looking for Aleine's mother and are in kinda hurry", Snow decided to gently cut in between them. They really didn't have time now for much: there was probably a very long line outside to complain the problems that fables had and now this... Half-fable thing...  
>"Sure thing ms. White. What do you want me to do?"<br>"Well, I would like you to search for the books, that includes every wolf fable that came in to this world from Homelands."  
>"But before that call to town's morgue, and ask if they have any Narifia Rafor named woman."<br>Snow White gave a glance to the Bad Wolf and Bufkin looked confused just like Aleine.  
>"Wh- Oh, sure, mr. Sheriff. Right away", the flying monkey agreed and got to the office's phone.<p>

"Bigby, what is morgue?" Aleine asked as they made their way to the door.  
>"They are places where people go if they go missing", he answered with no sweat, putting cigarette to his mouth. He glanced on the kid, to see did she buy.<br>"Oh... But mother is adult, she wouldn't get lost."  
>"I'm just being thorough, pup. Don't worry."<br>The girl gave him trusting nod, with a wide happy smile.

* * *

><p><em>I am the Eggman<em> _diner_, which motto was `_I am the Eggman!_´_, _was actually pretty okay plays to have your breakfast or eat when your attempt to make Christmas dinner burned down. But what actually was interesting of the diner, was that it was owned by fable. The chef and the owner there was _Vulco Crow_, human-like fable who could turn in to crow by own will.  
>He was usually pretty fair guy, but sometimes also pain in the ass if he was in a bad mood.<br>Bigby hoped this wasn't bad day to speak with him, as taxi stopped to let him and Aleine out right in front of the diner.  
>"Hey kid!" Bigby called after the girl who just run right in to the diner, not waiting for him. Grumbling under his breath the Sheriff walked after her in the not so busy diner. Just couple of lonely guy's with coffee cups and some young couple enjoining milkshake together.<br>And Aleine was behind the counter, speaking to Vulco by herself through the gap, where from waiters picked up the orders.  
>Well of course, if Aleine's mother worked here as regular, you could suppose these two knew each other.<p>

"-so, mother hasn't been here lately?"  
>"No, sorry. Hasn't she been in home? Oh, hi mr. Wolf", black-haired man greeted Bigby, giving a glance to Aleine. "Hey brat, why wouldn't you go just sit down, so I sent Carl to bring you cocoa? It's on the house this time."<br>With a nod the kid swallowed the hook like a fish and went to one table. The chef turned to look Bigby with suspicious stare.  
>"I'm with her, Vulco. It's about her mother", Bigby raised his hands as to show he wasn't here to to bully others. Like he ever was...<br>The crowman looked at the brown-haired little girl, as Aleine had turned into her human form already in their way here.  
>"Oh, why? Isn't her mother, like, mundy? Wait... Is she your daughter?!" Vulco hissed with distraught expression. Bigby's own reaction matched with that.<br>"Wha- No! She isn't. I'm not the only one from home", the wolfman said, bewilder, not getting why people assumed anything like that. It wasn't like he fucked regularry anybody or that. He couldn't do that to _her_.  
>"Ah, sorry Sheriff", Vulco just brushed it off and went back to cooking. Bigby took this as invitation to come in the kitchen.<br>Vulco talked something to one of his employees who then went to cocoa machine. The chef went back to burn some bacon.  
>"...So, what about her mother? She's gone or something?" the crowman questioned, not looking at Bigby.<br>"Yeah. She disappeared at least two weeks ago. You haven't seen her?"  
>"Nope. She hasn't come to work here for... I don't know, over three weeks? She took some vacation though for couple week."<br>"Why?"  
>"Wanted to be with her daughter or something? I don't ask, she works well here even though she's mundy."<br>"So there wasn't any suspicious going on? She didn't explain at all?"  
>"I said already, no."<br>Bigby sigh, rubbing his neck and glancing at Aleine through the gap. The kid was reading menu, waiving her legs in the air.  
>"...You didn't know Aleine was half-fable?"<br>"No. Her mother was mundy, so of course I though the kid was too."

Bigby pondered very hard at this next question of his, then asked bluntly: "Did it seem like Narifia had problems with Aleine? Or other way?"  
>Vulco stopped for a second from flipping bacon and seemed to glance too at the kid, who now drunk her cocoa.<br>"...No? It seemed regular daughter-mother-relationship to me. Although..."  
>"What?"<br>"It's not like it means anything...But Narifia seemed to be sometimes a little bit edgy woman." Vulco revealed and turned the stone off. And got to other side of the kitchen to mix potato mash. Bigby of course followed him.  
>"Like how?"<br>"Looked like she feared something, or something like that. Aleine sometimes get to feel that, but Narifia never did hit her or anything like that. She was after all single parent. Sometimes there's bad days to them too."  
>"Yeah... Well, if you remember something or something comes, contact me", the Sheriff decided there wasn't anything else here to them. Narifia hadn't told anything to Vulco. Which was bad there weren't any leads. Besides the home, maybe Narifia had left there something, that Aleine hadn't notice.<br>Leaving the diner's kitchen Bigby walked to pick up the girl, or let her finish her drink first.  
>But Aleine wasn't there anymore, she was nowhere.<br>"Aleine?" Bigby sniffed, the girl's scent still strong in the diner. He walked to the bathrooms, knocking on the woman's door and called Aleine.  
>Then he carelessly glanced at the window.<br>"What the fuck?" he said, stunned, as he saw the kid to climb in a car that Bigby hadn't seen before. Nor that guy.  
>Immediately he run out of the diner, as the car started to drive away.<br>"Aleine!?"


End file.
